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ITIL Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition

by AXELOS — 2025-05-15

Summary

ITIL Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition by AXELOS introduces the latest evolution of the ITIL framework, a globally recognized standard for IT service management (ITSM). ITIL 4 builds upon previous versions but introduces a more flexible, agile, and value-driven approach aligned with modern digital business demands.

ITIL 4 reflects the growing importance of co-creating value with stakeholders, supporting digital transformation, and integrating practices from Agile, DevOps, and Lean methodologies. It offers a comprehensive operating model for the creation, delivery, and continual improvement of technology-enabled products and services.

The Four Dimensions Model

ITIL 4 promotes a holistic approach through the Four Dimensions Model:

  1. Organizations and People – Culture, skills, roles, and organizational structure.
  2. Information and Technology – Data management and supporting platforms and tools.
  3. Partners and Suppliers – External relationships and shared responsibilities.
  4. Value Streams and Processes – How work flows through the organization to deliver value.

These dimensions ensure that all aspects of service management are considered and balanced.

The ITIL Service Value System (SVS)

At the core of ITIL 4 is the Service Value System, which describes how all components and activities work together to facilitate value creation. It includes:

  • Guiding Principles
  • Governance
  • Service Value Chain
  • Practices
  • Continual Improvement

The SVS enables a unified and flexible approach to IT service management.

Guiding Principles

The seven ITIL 4 guiding principles are universal recommendations that guide behavior and decision-making:

  1. Focus on Value
  2. Start Where You Are
  3. Progress Iteratively with Feedback
  4. Collaborate and Promote Visibility
  5. Think and Work Holistically
  6. Keep It Simple and Practical
  7. Optimize and Automate

These principles encourage responsiveness, learning, and efficiency across the organization.

The Service Value Chain

The Service Value Chain (SVC) is the central operating model of the SVS. It consists of six interconnected activities:

  • Plan
  • Improve
  • Engage
  • Design & Transition
  • Obtain/Build
  • Deliver & Support

These activities can be combined in various ways to form value streams tailored to specific scenarios.

ITIL Practices

ITIL 4 defines 34 management practices grouped into three categories:

General Management Practices (14)

Includes portfolio, architecture, workforce, risk, finance, and continual improvement.

Service Management Practices (17)

Includes incident, problem, change enablement, service level, service catalog, and service request management.

Technical Management Practices (3)

Includes infrastructure and platform management, software development and deployment.

These practices replace the previous ITIL “processes” model, allowing more flexibility and integration with modern operating models.

Continual Improvement

A core element of ITIL 4 is continual improvement. The Continual Improvement Model includes seven steps:

  1. What is the vision?
  2. Where are we now?
  3. Where do we want to be?
  4. How do we get there?
  5. Take action
  6. Did we get there?
  7. How do we keep the momentum going?

Organizations are encouraged to embed continual improvement into all roles, making it a cultural habit rather than a project.

Integration with Agile, DevOps, and Lean

ITIL 4 is designed to work in harmony with other methodologies:

  • Agile supports iterative delivery, feedback loops, and adaptability.
  • DevOps fosters collaboration between development and operations.
  • Lean minimizes waste and enhances value delivery.

ITIL 4 does not replace these approaches but complements them by providing governance and service management structure.

Governance in ITIL 4

Governance ensures that policies and continual monitoring guide activities to meet strategic goals. It includes:

  • Evaluation – Assessing strategy and plans.
  • Direction – Assigning responsibilities and setting priorities.
  • Monitoring – Ensuring compliance and performance tracking.

Governance connects organizational strategy with service operations.

The Role of Value Co-Creation

A key innovation in ITIL 4 is the emphasis on co-creating value with customers and stakeholders, rather than delivering value unilaterally. This includes:

  • Active user participation
  • Shared goals and transparency
  • Real-time feedback and service adjustment

Service relationships are redefined as partnerships rather than one-way transactions.

The Shift from Lifecycle to Value Streams

In ITIL v3, the service lifecycle was the dominant model. ITIL 4 replaces this with value streams, allowing for:

  • Greater flexibility and flow
  • Agile planning and delivery
  • Better alignment with DevOps and Lean thinking

Value streams reflect how specific demands trigger service activities that produce desired outcomes.

Key Practice Spotlight

1. Incident Management

Restores normal service operations quickly and minimizes impact on the business.

2. Change Enablement (formerly Change Management)

Ensures changes are assessed, authorized, and implemented safely.

3. Problem Management

Identifies and addresses root causes of incidents to prevent recurrence.

4. Service Desk

Acts as the single point of contact for users and handles service requests and issues.

5. Service Level Management

Ensures that agreed service levels are defined, tracked, and met.

6. Information Security Management

Protects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and services.

Each practice is supported by processes, people, tools, and policies.

Roles and Responsibilities

ITIL 4 encourages organizations to define clear roles based on capability, not just job titles. Common roles include:

  • Practice Owner
  • Process Owner
  • Service Owner
  • Change Authority
  • Continual Improvement Lead

These roles help maintain accountability and consistency.

Cultural Considerations

ITIL 4 emphasizes the importance of cultural factors in service management success:

  • Leadership buy-in and sponsorship
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Embracing learning and change
  • Empowering frontline teams

Organizations must support a learning mindset and remove silos.

Metrics and Measurement

ITIL 4 recommends meaningful measurement focused on value. Key metrics include:

  • Customer satisfaction (CSAT)
  • Mean time to restore service (MTTR)
  • Change success rate
  • SLA compliance
  • Value realization

Measurement must support improvement and decision-making—not just reporting.

ITIL Certification Path

The ITIL 4 certification scheme includes:

  • ITIL Foundation – Introductory overview
  • ITIL Managing Professional (MP) – Operational and technical roles
  • ITIL Strategic Leader (SL) – Business and leadership focus
  • ITIL Master – Demonstrated expertise through experience

These certifications align with career progression in service management.

Case Examples

  • A telecom firm used ITIL 4 principles to integrate Agile squads with traditional ITSM.
  • A financial services provider improved change enablement success rate from 72% to 97%.
  • A government agency adopted ITIL 4 to unify service delivery across departments and improve citizen experience.

These show ITIL 4’s applicability across sectors and organizational maturity levels.

Challenges and Criticism

  • Misunderstanding ITIL as rigid or bureaucratic
  • Inconsistent practice maturity across teams
  • Tool limitations that don’t support modern practices
  • Resistance to change in legacy environments

Successful adoption requires education, sponsorship, and practical tailoring.

Why This Book Matters

ITIL Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition provides a modern, agile-aligned approach to service management. It empowers organizations to deliver consistent, high-value services in an era of rapid change, digital transformation, and customer expectation.

For IT managers, service designers, and operations leaders, ITIL 4 provides a common language, a structured toolkit, and a vision for continuous improvement.

TL;DR

ITIL 4 redefines service management for the digital age, focusing on co-created value, integration with agile methods, and flexible practices. It provides a universal framework for managing and improving IT-enabled services.

Related Videos

These videos are created by third parties and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Distilled.pro We are not responsible for their content.

  • Introduction to the course | ITIL Foundation | AXELOS

  • ITIL For Beginners | ITIL Certification Training | Simplilearn

Further Reading